Hepatitis B Vaccination Induces Mucosal Antibody Responses in the Female Genital Tract, Indicating Potential Mechanisms of Protection Against Infection.

Vaccines against hepatitis B virus confer effective protection. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed to test for specific antibodies in female genital tract secretions. Anti-hepatitis B IgG and IgA were detected in the cervicovaginal secretions of women after hepatitis B vaccination, indicating a potential genital tract role for neutralizing antibodies against sexually transmitted hepatitis B virus.